GOOD NEIGHBOURS
He only says, “Good fences make good neighbours.”
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
“Why do they make good neighbours? Isn’t it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Extract from Mending Wall by Robert Frost
The Parramatta identity has shifted from indigenous land to European settlement and more recently emerging as a rapidly growing city centre. The culturally charged abundance of cuisines and retail along Church Street prove evidence that its identity is diverse and inclusive. With 76% of residents being born overseas, the City of Parramatta is a home for immigrants.
Good Neighbours reignites “old” Parramatta - a place that celebrates our indigenous communities and the welcoming of immigration into our country. Its design centers the theme of gathering and respect to the landscape, breaking away from the active commercial development. It challenges the idea of boundaries through transparency and lack of walled barriers. The plan flows the program along the contour of the slope, inviting the sporadic coming together of all people.
